Burroughs Mountain Loop
Sep. 10th, 2024 09:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tiggymalvern
On Friday, I got down to Mount Rainier National Park, and hiked the Burroughs Loop, which is one of my favourite hikes ever. There was some haze around, so the views weren't as insanely mind-boggling as they sometimes are. This aided my determination NOT to take photos of the mountain from every possible angle as I often do when I go there.
Frozen Lake, at a trial intersection below the slope of Mount Fremont. The colours in it can be amazing some days.
A mountain goat snoozing in the sun. It's not common to see them in the open in the middle of the day, but I spot them every now and then.
Looking back on Frozen Lake from the trail up to First Burroughs.
Horned larks flitted around in the rocks at the top of First Burroughs.
In this shot, you can just about see one of the horns that give them their name.
Looking north across the valley of Bear Park and the Cascades range from near the top of First Burroughs.
Me where the trail dips down between First and Second Burroughs.
It's no fun being a tree attempting to grow a thousand feet above the treeline.
A golden-mantled ground squirrel at the top of Second Burroughs.
Sit on a rock in the sun at 8,000 feet and look across to Mount Rainier/Tahoma towering over you at 14,000 feet.
You can tell that people have been ignoring the rules about not feeding the wildlife when the golden-mantled ground squirrels are quite so keen to share your lunch rock.
And grab at you with their little hands.
Most of the alpine plants have finished flowering, but a few were making one last attempt.
This one was along the trail back down, on the other side of First Burroughs.
Looking back towards Tahoma/Rainier along Emmons glacier and the origin of the White River.
Back down at the treeline, you find Shadow Lake among the mountain meadows.
And some different kinds of flowers persisting, though most had long gone to seed.
Another moist meadow as the colours of the grasses start to change.
7 miles around the loop and only 1300 feet of gain, so a relatively light hike, but the altitude makes it feel a bit more. An absolutely gorgeous late summer day for it.
Frozen Lake, at a trial intersection below the slope of Mount Fremont. The colours in it can be amazing some days.
A mountain goat snoozing in the sun. It's not common to see them in the open in the middle of the day, but I spot them every now and then.
Looking back on Frozen Lake from the trail up to First Burroughs.
Horned larks flitted around in the rocks at the top of First Burroughs.
In this shot, you can just about see one of the horns that give them their name.
Looking north across the valley of Bear Park and the Cascades range from near the top of First Burroughs.
Me where the trail dips down between First and Second Burroughs.
It's no fun being a tree attempting to grow a thousand feet above the treeline.
A golden-mantled ground squirrel at the top of Second Burroughs.
Sit on a rock in the sun at 8,000 feet and look across to Mount Rainier/Tahoma towering over you at 14,000 feet.
You can tell that people have been ignoring the rules about not feeding the wildlife when the golden-mantled ground squirrels are quite so keen to share your lunch rock.
And grab at you with their little hands.
Most of the alpine plants have finished flowering, but a few were making one last attempt.
This one was along the trail back down, on the other side of First Burroughs.
Looking back towards Tahoma/Rainier along Emmons glacier and the origin of the White River.
Back down at the treeline, you find Shadow Lake among the mountain meadows.
And some different kinds of flowers persisting, though most had long gone to seed.
Another moist meadow as the colours of the grasses start to change.
7 miles around the loop and only 1300 feet of gain, so a relatively light hike, but the altitude makes it feel a bit more. An absolutely gorgeous late summer day for it.
